Customer Reviews

Daniel Dennett (Contemporary Philosophy in Focus)

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This is a book whose value goes way beyond its subject matter. This book is so valuable because Dennett's participation in fundmental issues of cognitive science, evolutionary theory, and philosophy of mind have drawn comments from so many other leading intellectual figures. By looking at what different authors think of Dennett's various distinct ideas in basic issues of philosophy of mind and evolution, it is possible to learn more about their own, and that seems to be part of what the editors intended to do. That makes this examination of Dennett's ideas, and especially their influence outside of his field, a kind of rosetta stone for understanding many current issues in philosophy and biology.

For example, there is a chapter on the evolutionary psychologists' critique of social sciences, showing how it builds on Dennett's evolutionary cognitivism but strays from it at some points. The contrast helps point out the strengths and weaknesses of both the evolutionary psychologists' and Dennett's views, as well as helping clarify what might remain of the foundations of social sciences once the smoke clears. Similarly illuminating is the chapter on Dennett's participation in debates with Stephen Jay Gould over the search for adaptations in studying human evolution.

Dennett's ideas are presented very clearly in a way that non-specialists can appreciate, and the choice of authors who are experts in other fields (rather than solely philosophers) works well in most cases, showing that ideas do matter, and that good philosophers sometimes do have an identifiable and positive impact on other areas of culture.